Illuminated display system and process

Abstract

An Illuminated display integrated with a fabric substrate, comprising a rear electrode formed on a portion of a front surface of the fabric substrate, the rear electrode being formed on the fabric substrate portion by applying a catalyst to the fabric portion and subsequently immersing the fabric portion in an electroless plating bath followed by immersing the fabric portion in an electrode bath, a dielectric layer formed onto the fabric substrate surface substantially over the rear electrode, a light emitting layer formed onto the dielectric layer, a transparent conductive layer formed onto the light emitting layer; and a front electrode lead electrically connected to the transparent conductive layer to transport energy thereto.

1. An integrated illuminated display and substrate, comprising:
 a textile substrate section; 
 a conductive polymer rear electrode layer comprising polyethylene dioxithiophene formed onto the textile substrate section; 
 a dielectric layer formed onto the conductive polymer rear electrode layer; 
 a light emitting layer formed onto the dielectric layer; 
 a front conductive polymer layer formed onto the light emitting layer; and 
 a front electrode lead connected to the front conductive polymer layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The display of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the conductive polymer rear electrode layer is printed onto the textile substrate section; 
 the dielectric layer is printed onto the conductive polymer rear electrode layer; 
 the light emitting layer is printed onto the dielectric layer; and 
 the front conductive polymer layer is printed onto the light emitting layer. 
 
     
     
       3. The display of  claim 1 , further comprising two or more conductive pads, one of the pads electrically connected to the front electrode lead and another one of the pads electrically connected to the conductive polymer rear electrode layer to provide electrical contacts for a power source. 
     
     
       4. The display of  claim 1 , wherein the front conductive polymer layer is substantially transparent. 
     
     
       5. The display of  claim 1 , wherein the textile substrate section is made from materials comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of cotton, polyester, nylon, and high-density polyethylene. 
     
     
       6. The display of  claim 1 , wherein the light emitting layer is a phosphor layer. 
     
     
       7. The display of  claim 1 , wherein the light emitting layer is a light emitting polymer layer. 
     
     
       8. The display of  claim 1 , wherein the front electrode lead is a conductive polymer front outlying electrode layer substantially surrounding a perimeter of the transparent conductive polymer layer. 
     
     
       9. The display of  claim 1 , wherein the front electrode lead is formed directly onto at least one of the substrate sections, the dielectric layer, and the front conductive polymer layer. 
     
     
       10. The display of  claim 1 , wherein the front conductive polymer layer is polyethylene-dioxithiophene.